Rail-joint fastener



A. LETKO. RAIL 101m FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, I921.

Patented Sept. 20,1921.-

INVENTOR. flmfwrla/to BY E ZAITTORNEYV 7 Y hainnnw LETKO, or inmmninmon, INDIANAJ i 3111301111 IFASTENERQ To all'whom "it mayvo'ncfern: Beit known th'at I, Annnnw lin'rno, citizen of Czecho Slovakia, residing. at Indrana Harbor, in thecounty of Lake and State of Indiana, have'invented'certain new and use-.

ful Improvements in Rail-Joint Fasteners, ofwhich the following isa specification.

This invention relates to rail fastening devices for securing the railroad tracks to the ties 'or sleepers, and it has for an object to provide a novel form of rail fastener which will act to securely hold the rail and which permits of the ready removal of the rail when desired.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, referencewill be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth. 7

Figure 1 of the drawingsis a plan View of a portion of a railroad track secured in place by means of my improved fastening devices.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged detail section on the line %4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 'is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing one of the fastening devices applied to a rail.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section on the line 66 of Fig.1. 7 rFig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of In the drawings the reference numeral 10 indicates a pair of track rails which rest on ties 11, the latter preferably comprising metal I-beams.

My improved fastening device, by means j of which the rails are secured to the ties,

comprises plates 12 which are secured by bolts 13 to the ties 11 and engage one side of the rail. having projecting toes 12 which take over the base flange of the rail.

The opposite side of the rail is adapted to be engage'dby blocks 15 having toes 15' adapted to take over the base flange of the rail. These blocks 15 are slidably held between a pair of guide bars 16 fixed by bolts 17 to the ties 11, the inner ends of these bars 16 abutting against the base flange of the rail as shown. Formed on the blocks 15 and bars 16 are overlapping flange members J itppn'catin median -s,

' I, 7- .sp inction or L tters- P 'teht. '7 I Patented Sept. 20, 1921.

1921. "Serial fmi. 475,929.

18 whereby thebloclrsarehla ff Vertical displacement. Y 5 To secureth'eseblocks l5 in po'sitionwith their toes15 engaging overthe railflangeI secure to the tie"11,'underneath each or the blocks, a flat spring 20 which extends transversely of the rail, is riveted at one end as at 21 to the tie 11, being provided near its opposite end with a vertical offset 21 which engages in an angular notch 22 on the bottom of the block 15 at the outer end thereof. The spring 20 is accommodated in a recess 11 in the tie. Beyond the offset 21 the spring 20 terminates in a tongue 23 which inclines downwardly and outwardly to engage the outer upper corner of the recess 11 .as shown, the notch 22 in the block 15 being correspondingly shaped so that access to the spring 20 from the outer end of block 15 is prevented. Formed in the block15, in registry with the notch 22, is an aperture 25 through which a rod or pin may be inserted to' engage and depress the spring 20 and free it from the block 15. I

As will be apparent in the assembly of the track, the plates 12 and bars 16 may first be bolted to the ties 11. The rail 10 is then inserted in place and the blocks 15 slid along the ties between the bars 16 until their toesengage the base flange of the rail, the blocks riding over the springs 20 which automatiand so look the blocks against rearward movement. When the rails are to be taken up a suitable instrument is inserted through the aperture 25, engaging tongue 23 on spring 20 and forcing the latter downward into the recess 11 until the offset 21 is clear of the block.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows 1. A rail fastening device comprising a plate adapted to engage one 'side of the base flange of the, rail, a block adapted to engage the other side of the base flange of the rail, means guiding said block for movement transversely to the rail, and means engaging behind the said block to hold the latter in position, said last means comprising a flat spring having an offset one side of the base flange of the rail, a pair of guide bars'secured to said tie on'the op: posite side of therail a slidable block between said guide bars and retained against vertical displacement thereby, and adapted to'engage the other base flange of the rail, said slidable block having a notch in its under side, and a flat spring located in the said recess in the tie andhaving an offset 10 7 I '3. A rall fastening device including a ti adapted to engage in said notch.

having a recess in itsupper face, a. plate secured to said tie and adapted to engage one side of the base flange of the rail, a pair of V guide bars secured to said tie'on the opposite side of the rail, a slidable block between said guide'bars and retained against vertical displacement thereby, and adapted to engage the other base flange of the rail, said slidable block having a notch in its underside,

into said n0tch,for,the purpose set forth.

signature, g

2'5 '7 In testimony 'whereofl have affixed my ANDREW LE'IIKO. 

